(CNN) – Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain said it would be "great" to impeach the president, but that the Democratic controlled Senate would prevent such action.

On a conference call with bloggers Tuesday night, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO called the health care law and the Obama administration's stance over the Defense of Marriage Act impeachable offenses.
The news was first reported by POLITICO and later confirmed to CNN by the Cain campaign.

"There are a number of things where a case could be made in order to impeach him, but because Republicans do not control the United States Senate, they would never allow it to get off the ground," Cain said on the call. "The president is supposed to uphold the laws of this nation … and to tell the Department of Justice not to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act is a breach of his oath."

soundoff(1,100 Responses)

Sorry lil' Hermy, I know you want to play with the big important people now, but no one wants to listen. That's a good little kid, go play with your toys and we'll have pizza for lunch.

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

coy4one

So now the Republicans have bowed down to nothing but "impeachment" and "treason." What a bunch of jokes!

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

Aeromechanic.

Keep it up GOP. Keep telling the world how out of touch and crazy you guys really are. One more nail in your coffin.

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

Ken in NC

Cain needs to find Able and get his brain back. I can se this election cycle turning into one of the worse in history with outright disrespect being openly shown towards this first Black President and it is nothing more than the hatred of people that think either a Black man or Woman can't do the job. This country will not last for another 200 years. With the outright displays of disrespect and hate being shown, we are in the process of our own decomposition as a Nation, Government and People. The only unanswered question is what country will take over the fallen remains of our country and restore some form of order. I am happy in the knowledge that I will be long gone when this happens. I am, however, saddened that my Neices and Daughter may still be alive when this comes to pass. I hope the TeaPublicans survive long enough to realize they destroyed this great country.

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

janetlaw

Whaaaa???? Really? Giving all the same civil rights as others, yet its ok to start an illegal war? This guy is loonier then I thought! It seems the crazier they are, the more repubs want them....

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

Dan V

That's it, Herman, just keep stirring up the rabble without risking a damn thing yourself. You have about as much chance of becoming President as my cat.

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

non sequitur

Mr. Cain,

No matter what little pet-Teaparty issue you choose, you will NEVER be president of the US.

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

sf

Anything to get out of the 5th spot huh cain? give me a break! HOW ABOUT SOME SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS IDIOTS! You people on the right are nothing but psychotic distractions!

August 17, 2011 01:42 pm at 1:42 pm |

Tony

In other words, "if we tried to impeach him for any of these ridiculous and unimpeachable issues that we keep spouting off about, we'd look even more like morons than we already do, so we won't try and blame it on the Senate instead." Good to know, Herm.

August 17, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |

doug

Well he has concrete factual reasons for impeachment which is more than I can say for all the Democrats and the lies they spewed about Bush.

August 17, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |

Johnny B. Goode

Herman Cain is just flat out crazy. Impeaching President for what? Cain is out of his mind.

August 17, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |

Mikey

and that's why this a hole is last in the poles. He knows nothing!

August 17, 2011 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

Gale

Wow! If a white candidate said something to that effect, he would be put on a hit list by the Reverend Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, NAACP, and ACLU.

August 17, 2011 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

billy's Mom

Herman who?

August 17, 2011 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

Allen

I think there are bigger issues this President could be impeached for. The DOJ selling guns to drug smugglers, and then those guns being used to kill people is two of them.

August 17, 2011 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

Joseph B

Wow – the Republican party is becoming more of a circus show each and every day

August 17, 2011 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

Pete

Definitely not impeachable acts. Either of them.

August 17, 2011 01:45 pm at 1:45 pm |

Wes B.

This is incredibly irresponsible on the part of Cain.

By the way, who does he think gets to become president if the president is impeached and removed? Last time I checked, the vice president is next in line.

If he truly believes what he says, he's not very smart. If he's just saying things to work up the crowd, he's just a fake. Either way, he's very irresponsible.

August 17, 2011 01:45 pm at 1:45 pm |

Gbird

The Constitution defines impeachment at the federal level and limits impeachment to "The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States" who may only be impeached and removed for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". Differing opinions seem to be considered high crimes and misdemeanors or treason to the new right.

August 17, 2011 01:45 pm at 1:45 pm |

Obama2012

Silly Uncle Tom. He hasn't got a prayer to be the front runner Republican ... only a token VP.

August 17, 2011 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |

GEORGIA TEE

I think Cain is doing a great job, misinforming. & lying to those teapublicans who see nothing but evil, hear nothing but evil, & are willing to say anything to get the extreme right wings evil attention. When the the facts don't make you feel good, and the lie does, the teapublicans will always listen to the lies. The only problem is if by some miracle, Cain would make it to the General election, LOL.....he will have to explain to the other 75% of America, all the dumb azz statements he made during the primary...

August 17, 2011 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |

Jeffrey N.

How best to describe Mr. Cain's ignorance on the subject of impeachment? Let me count the ways. First and most important, a President's support for any particular legislation cannot remotely be considered one of the (only) four grounds for impeachment provided in the Constitution - namely, "Treason, Bribery, or other High crimes and misdemeanors".

Second, the Democrats' control of the Senate could not possibly stand in the way of impeachment (however improper), because it is the House of Representatives, not the Senate, that impeaches a federal official - although it is the Senate that conducts impeachment trials - and the the House is, of course, controlled by Republicans.

Suffice it to say that Mr. Cain has not instilled in this reader confidence that he is the least bit qualified to hold public office - let alone, the Presidency.

Jeffrey N.

August 17, 2011 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |

M

Oh, I so wish the Republicans will try!

Let's see, we have a debt crisis, a credit downgrade, and high unemployment, but let's not deal with any of that and impeach the president over his stances on gay marriage and healthcare. Oh yeah, that'll go over great in the 2012 elections.

August 17, 2011 01:47 pm at 1:47 pm |

middle of the road

So in Herman Cain's administration to disagree with him is a high crime and/or misdemeanor?

August 17, 2011 01:47 pm at 1:47 pm |

lloyd roberts

All I can think is Uncle Tom to the extreme which is the republican agenda, extremism. Wonder what he had to say about GWB's numerous possible impeachable offenses. Space restrictions would not allow that